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“Stubborn Bolt” Hampers Space Station Repair

Media Spotlight— No doubt you’ve heard jokes that begin with some variation of “how many astronauts does it take to change a lightbulb?”
But on Wednesday the question involved a “stubborn bolt” that was no joke, and required an “improvised tool” to fix the problem, according to the Associated Press.

In an article titled “Spacewalking team conquers bolt, installs box,” AP reporter Marcia Dunn wrote:

“Spacewalking astronauts triumphed over a stubborn bolt and installed a critical power-switching box at the International Space Station on Wednesday, reviving electrical systems.”

The problem reportedly had cut the amount of electrical power available to the orbiting lab, forcing a variety of equipment to be turned off.

Earth-bound engineers and astronauts in orbit scrambled over the Labor Day weekend to devise makeshift tools to “clean metal shavings from the socket of the troublesome bolt,” Dunn wrote.

“This time, NASA’s Sunita Williams and Japan’s Akihiko Hoshide were armed with a blue toothbrush, a wire brush and other jury-rigged tools.”

During a six-and-a-half hour spacewalk, the two reportedly applied grease to the sticky bolt as well as extra pressure and jiggling. They also brushed and blew away metal shavings that had amassed on the bolt.

NASA’s space station program manager Mike Suffredini said the shavings likely ended up on the space station because “the bolt was probably damaged when it was installed before launch.”

Editor’s Note: Articles in Media Spotlight are excerpts from publications or broadcasts which show the industry what the public is reading or hearing about fasteners and fastener companies.

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